LETTER: Attorney General Aaron Ford acts on his own

I have lived in states in which the people elect the attorney general, and I have lived in states in which the governor appoints someone to fill the position. I am in favor of citizens having the opportunity to elect any representative of their government.

That being said, I do not know how this fits in with the checks and balances of the three-branch governmental system. The attorney general, as the chief law enforcement officer, sits within the executive branch. When Nevada Attorney General Aaron Ford files or signs onto a lawsuit against the United States, that becomes the State of Nevada vs. the United States (or the current president). How can this occur without the head of the state — the governor — lending his approval?

If the attorney general, not a branch unto himself, is to represent Nevada, then either the executive branch or the legislative branch should authorize this action.